Per Capita Personal Income

Real per capita personal income in Thurston County has risen since at least the 1970s, although the effects of the economic recession slowed growth in the late 2000s. Real per capita incomes peaked in 2008 (at $42,621 in 2014 dollars). The real per capita income in 2014 was $42,991, exceeding the pre-recession peak.

Per Capita Income

Per capita personal income is determined by dividing Thurston County’s total personal income (or the income received from most major sources, including earned income, dividends, interest, rent, and transfer payments) by its population. This measure gives an average income for all residents, including children, retirees, and the unemployed.

Per capita personal income is often expressed in “nominal” or “real” dollars. Nominal dollars represent the actual dollar value at the point in time for which the income was measured and do not include the effects of inflation. Real, or constant, dollars account for inflation and can be used to compare the buying power of money at two different points in time.